Wheel hub

ABSTRACT

A wheel hub includes a wheel rim and a support. The wheel rim has an inner rim surface, an outer rim surface and a connection concave. The wheel rim is composed of a metallic layer and a carbon fiber layer. The outer rim surface has an outer wall to be the metallic layer. The wheel hub is composed of the metallic layer and the carbon fiber layer. Compared to the conventional wheel hub made of a single metallic material or a carbon fiber material, the wheel hub made of metal and carbon fiber of the present invention is light in weight, endurable, and cost-effective. The outer wall of the outer rim surface of the conventional wheel hub is easily to be damaged by an external force when in use, which result in a break of the carbon fiber to lose the strength of the carbon fiber. By contrast, the present invention has the metallic layer to protect the outer wall of the outer rim surface of the wheel rim, so that the carbon fiber layer of the wheel rim won&#39;t be hit by an external force so as to enhance the quality of the wheel hub.

The present invention is a divisional application of U.S. applicationSer. No. 12/994,860 and claims the priority filing date of Nov. 28,2010, and relates to a wheel hub, and mare particularly, to a wheel hubcomposed of a metallic layer and a carbon fiber layer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

2. Description of the Prior Art

As everyone knows that a wheel hub comprises a wheel rim and a support.A prior wheel hub is made of a single material, which is better forshock absorption and tenacity. However, it is heavy and cumbersome afterassembly, not conforming to today demand. Now, an integral wheel hubmade of a carbon fiber material is developed, which is light. But, thecost is high. When in use, the outer rim surface of the wheel rim isexposed. This is often damaged by an external force. When the wheel rimis hit by a hard object, such as a stone, the inside structure of thecarbon fiber will change to influence the entire tenacity. Accordingly,the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on hismany years of practical experiences to solve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a wheel hub,which is light and cost-effective, has a better tenacity and won't bedamaged easily.

In order to achieve the aforesaid object, there is provided a wheel hubcomprising a wheel rim and a support. The wheel rim has an inner rimsurface, an outer rim surface and a connection concave. The wheel rim iscomposed of a metallic layer and a carbon fiber layer. The outer rimsurface has an outer wall to be the metallic layer.

Preferably, the outer rim surface is the metallic layer. The inner rimsurface and the connection concave are the carbon fiber layer.

Preferably, the metallic layer comprises a first metallic layer and asecond metallic layer. The first metallic layer is the outer rim surfaceof the wheel rim. The second metallic layer is the inner rim surface ofthe wheel rim. The connection concave of the wheel rim is the carbonfiber layer. The carbon fiber layer is connected between the firstmetallic layer and the second metallic layer.

Preferably, the carbon fiber layer has two ends connected to the firstmetallic layer and the second metallic layer in a semi-wrappedconfiguration, and the two ends of the carbon fiber layer each have aportion extending to outer surfaces of the first metallic layer and thesecond metallic layer, respectively. Alternatively, the carbon fiberlayer has two ends connected to the first metallic layer and the secondmetallic layer in a whole-wrapped configuration, and the two ends of thecarbon fiber layer each have a portion extending to inner and outersurfaces of the first metallic layer and the second metallic layer,respectively.

Preferably, the metallic layer and the carbon fiber layer are in amulti-layer configuration. The metallic layer is an outer layer and thecarbon fiber layer is an inner layer. At least one end of the metalliclayer has an extension portion as the outer wall of the outer rimsurface. The extension portion of the metallic layer covers an end ofthe carbon fiber layer so that the carbon fiber layer is not exposed outof the outer wall of the outer rim surface.

Preferably, the connection concave is formed with holes.

Preferably, the support is made of a metallic material or a carbon fibermaterial.

The feature of the present invention is that the wheel hub is composedof the metallic layer and the carbon fiber layer. Compared to theconventional wheel hub made of a single metallic material or a carbonfiber material, the wheel hub made of metal and carbon fiber of thepresent invention is light in weight, endurable, and cost-effective. Theouter wall of the outer rim surface of the conventional wheel hub iseasily to be damaged by an external force when in use, which result in abreak of the carbon fiber to lose the strength of the carbon fiber. Bycontrast, the present invention has the metallic layer to protect theouter wall of the outer rim surface of the wheel rim, so that the carbonfiber layer of the wheel rim won't be hit by an external force so as toenhance the quality of the wheel hub.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view according to a first embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view according to a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a side view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view according to a third embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 10 is a side view of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a side view of FIG. 9; and

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 11.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way ofexample only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, a wheel hub according to a preferredembodiment of the present invention comprises a wheel rim 1 and asupport 2. The support 2 is made of a metallic material or a carbonfiber material. The support 2 has a wheel hub mounting axle 21 at acentral portion thereof.

The wheel rim 1 is composed of a metallic layer 11 and a carbon fiberlayer 12. The metallic layer 11 comprises a first metallic layer 11 aand a second metallic layer 11 b. The first metallic layer 11 a is anouter rim surface of the wheel rim 1, so the outer wall of the outer rimsurface is a metallic layer. The second metallic layer 11 b is an innerrim surface of the wheel rim 1. The carbon fiber layer 12 is the middleconnection concave of the wheel rim 1. The carbon fiber layer 12 isconnected between the first metallic layer 11 a and the second metalliclayer 11 b. The carbon fiber layer 12 has two ends connected to thefirst metallic layer 11 a and the second metallic layer 11 b in asemi-wrapped configuration. The two ends of the carbon fiber layer 12each have a portion extending to outer surfaces of the first metalliclayer 11 a and the second metallic layer 11 b, respectively, to connectwith each other firmly. The connection concave is the carbon fiber layer12 formed with holes 121 to save the material.

As shown in FIG. 5 to FIG. 8, another embodiment of the presentinvention is substantially similar to the aforesaid embodiment with theexceptions described hereinafter. The two ends of the carbon fiber layer12 are connected to the first metallic layer 11 a and the secondmetallic layer 11 b in a whole-wrapped configuration. The two ends ofthe carbon fiber layer 12 each have a portion extending to inner andouter surfaces of the first metallic layer 11 a and the second metalliclayer 11 b, respectively, to connect with each other more firmly. Inthis embodiment, there are no holes on the carbon fiber layer 12. Thewheel rim 1 and the support 2 are identical to those of the aforesaidembodiment.

Alternatively, the present invention can have the metallic layer 11 asthe outer rim surface as well as the carbon fiber layer 12 as the innerrim surface and the connection concave.

As shown in FIG. 9 to FIG. 12, a further embodiment of the presentinvention comprises a wheel rim 1 and a support 2. The support 2 is madeof a metallic material or a carbon fiber material. The support 2 has awheel hub mounting axle 21 at a central portion thereof. The wheel rim 1is composed of a metallic layer 11 and a carbon fiber layer 12. Themetallic layer 11 and the carbon fiber layer 12 are in a multi-layerconfiguration. The metallic layer 11 is an outer layer and the carbonfiber layer 12 is an inner layer. The inner rim surface and the outerrim surface of the wheel rim 1 are composed of the metallic layer 11 andthe carbon fiber layer 12. At least one end of the metallic layer 11 hasan extension portion 11C as the outer wall of the outer rim surface. Theextension portion 11C of the metallic layer 11 covers an end of thecarbon fiber layer 12, so that the carbon fiber layer 12 won't beexposed out of the outer wall of the outer rim surface.

The feature of the present invention is that the wheel hub is composedof the metallic layer and the carbon fiber layer. The wheel hub made ofmetal and carbon fiber of the present invention is light in weight,endurable, and cost-effective. The outer wall of the outer rim surfaceof the conventional wheel hub is easily to be damaged by an externalforce when in use, which result in a break of the carbon fiber to losethe strength of the carbon fiber. By contrast, the present invention hasthe metallic layer to protect the outer wall of the outer rim surface ofthe wheel rim, so that the carbon fiber layer of the wheel rim won't behit by an external force so as to enhance the quality of the wheel hub.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed in detail for purposes of illustration, various modificationsand enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not tobe limited except as by the appended claims.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A wheel, comprising a support, and a wheelrim, including i) a metallic layer as an outer layer, and ii) a carbonfiber layer as an inner layer, wherein the metallic layer and the carbonfiber layer are in a multi-layer configuration: an inner rim surface andan outer rim surface of the wheel rim are composed of the metallic layerand the carbon fiber layer, with at least one end of a cross-section ofthe metallic layer has an extension portion over an outer wall of theouter rim surface, and the extension portion of the metallic layercovers the at least one end of the cross-section of the carbon fiberlayer for the carbon fiber layer not exposed out of the outer wall ofthe outer rim surface.
 2. The wheel as claimed in claim 1, wherein thesupport is made of a metallic material or a carbon fiber material.